A playing golf club should provide "feel" to the golfer. Feel and sound are both generated at ball impact. In the irons, and particularly in the putter, the "feel" should be more intense so as to provide increased precision in controlling the ball. That is, the putter should provide a feeling of precision in controlling the ball. This invention discloses that high frequencies should not be felt even though some golfers may desire to hear high frequencies. As to "feel", high frequencies should be damped, or diffused, and not felt. This invention also discloses that the mid-range frequencies should be diffused or suppressed enough so as not to be felt and, thus, confuse the golfer.
Each golf club has a "sweet spot" on the face of the head. The "sweet spot" is the point on the face of the head, in which the golf ball is best struck and which moves the ball in a straight direction. The "sweet spot" is located on the face of the head on a line passing through the center of inertia of the head. When a ball is struck at the "sweet spot", there is a solid "feel" to the strike and little or no torque is imparted to the club. Presently, golfers test for the "sweet spot" on a putter by holding the face of the putter horizontally and dropping the ball on the face. They then listen for a "chunk", or low frequency, sound rather than a "ring", or high frequency sound. The "chunk" sound denotes the "sweet spot". The "sweet spot" are is a general area around the "sweet spot" which, if the golfer hits within the "sweet spot" area, provides an acceptable golf shot. The "sweet spot area" may be approximately 2.5" in length, on, say, a face which is approximately 4 inches long. The best part of the "sweet spot" area, to hit the ball, is approximately one third the diameter of a golf ball in width, or 0.56", although striking within a distance of 0.8" around the "sweet spot", will likely be quite an acceptable hit.
In one embodiment of this invention which enhances the high frequency sound in the head of the golf club, the golfer will hear a "ring" when he drops the ball on the "sweet spot" of the club.
In putting, it is intended that the ball be struck on the "sweet spot" on the face of the putter, which is generally at or near the central area of the face. It is common for golfers to strike the ball within the "sweet spot" area, however, it is also common to strike outside the "sweet spot" area, which is a bad strike.